See how a mother and daughter teamed up to slim down for good

See how a mother and daughter teamed up to slim down for good

More

view gallery

01of04

01Of04

01Of04

Path to Health

Path to Health

Caryn (left): Before 405 lbs

Michele (right): Before 275 lbs

Caryn: I've struggled with my weight since I was 5 years old. I've tried every possible diet, and even though I often lost weight at first, I always gained it back (and then some). The diet and exercise changes I made never felt permanent, and I wasn't motivated to stick with them. I felt like I was a lost cause and destined to be obese.

In early 2010, I was just over 400 pounds. I could barely walk or breathe. I was desperate but had no idea how I could lose so much weight on my own. My daughter Michele also wanted to lose weight and encouraged me to try again. This time, she said, we could be a support system for each other.

01Of04

Halfway There!

Halfway There!

When I lost 100 pounds, my coworkers threw me a salad bar party to celebrate. (Michele was down about 50 pounds!)

How We Did It

Michele and I signed up for Weight Watchers soon after our conversation. We followed the points program, which allowed us to keep track of everything we ate but still left room for treats. I never felt deprived, so it was easy to stick with the plan.

Path to Health

Caryn (left): Before 405 lbs

Michele (right): Before 275 lbs

Caryn: I've struggled with my weight since I was 5 years old. I've tried every possible diet, and even though I often lost weight at first, I always gained it back (and then some). The diet and exercise changes I made never felt permanent, and I wasn't motivated to stick with them. I felt like I was a lost cause and destined to be obese.

In early 2010, I was just over 400 pounds. I could barely walk or breathe. I was desperate but had no idea how I could lose so much weight on my own. My daughter Michele also wanted to lose weight and encouraged me to try again. This time, she said, we could be a support system for each other.

2Of4

Halfway There!

When I lost 100 pounds, my coworkers threw me a salad bar party to celebrate. (Michele was down about 50 pounds!)

How We Did It

Michele and I signed up for Weight Watchers soon after our conversation. We followed the points program, which allowed us to keep track of everything we ate but still left room for treats. I never felt deprived, so it was easy to stick with the plan.

Shutterstock

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

3Of4

Adding Exercise

Once I lost 150 pounds, I walked at the mall, building up from a few minutes to a few miles. Michele and I also took Zumba classes.

Shutterstock

4Of4

Finish

Caryn: After 178 lbs

Michele: After 148 lbs

Losing weight has boosted my confidence and given me a more positive overall outlook on life. Doing it with Michele (who lost 127 pounds!) made all the difference this time. Knowing she was in it, too, kept me accountable—and we had fun!

My daughter and I create what we call the "garbage plate" at restaurants. As soon as our food arrives, we grab an extra plate and put everything on it that we don't want to eat (like creamy dressings or extra pieces of white bread). Moving these items to the side and making the plate look messy at the start means we're not tempted to eat it.